Obama announces two new manufacturing hubs

Feb. 25, 2014
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President Obama / JEWEL SAMAD, AFP/Getty Images

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

In unveiling a pair of new "manufacturing innovation institutes" on Tuesday, President Obama turned to a little superhero humor.

Touting a new public-private partnership near Detroit devoted to developing new types of light weight metals, Obama joked: "Basically, I'm here to announce that we're building Iron Man -- I'm going to blast off in a second."

A second "innovation hub" will be located in Obama's hometown of Chicago, and will focus on digital manufacturing and design.

"If we want to attract more good manufacturing jobs to America, we've got to make sure we're on the cutting edge," Obama said during a ceremony at the White House.

The Pentagon will lead both institutes, working with local businesses and universities.

Previous manufacturing hubs have been established in Youngstown, Ohio, and Raleigh, N.C., the latter led by the Energy Department.

Obama said there is enough money to launch four innovation hubs this year, and he called on Congress to finance more in the years ahead, citing global competition.

"I'm really excited about these four hubs," he said. "The only problem is Germany has 60 of them ... Part of the reason Germany has been able to take the lead in certain manufacturing areas is because they've invested in these hubs."

Obama spoke on a White House stage stocked with some of the "cool items" that could be made by these kinds of manufacturing hubs. They included the support frame of a joint strike fighter, the engine for a helicopter, a robotic arm used in underwater explosive removal, and a 3-D printer.

As for "Iron Man," Obama continued to joke that "this has been a secret project we've been working on for a long time ... Not really ... Maybe ... It's classified."